Monday, September 27, 2010

Having recently brewed my Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde big and small beer I was interested to see a bottle of Anchor Small Beer in Hollands of Bray. This beer is made from the second runnings of the mash from which Anchor make their Old Foghorn Barley Wine and at 3.2% it certainly is a small beer, however the situation is helped somewhat by its packaging in a 650ml bottle.

The beer pours a pale amber colour, crystal clear, with a thin white head. Quite an unusual aroma, piney earthy hops are present and there is also a very slight funkiness. Very light bodied as you would expect and very clean on the palate. I would say it is overcarbonated which hides some of the flavour. Dissapointingly this beer lacks much flavour. The lack of flavour is understandable, a beer that is only 3.2% lacks body and an ale with no body lacks the platform on which the brewer can build flavour. The only redeeming feature of this beer is a nice level of bitterness on the finish.